Outer Banks Bike Week

Mar 12, 2026

The 24th Annual Outer Banks Bike Week is back this April, and if you haven't added it to your list of East Coast motorcycle rallies to hit, this is the year to do it. The event runs nine days out of Outer Banks Harley-Davidson in Harbinger, NC, with a full schedule of guided rides, live music, bike shows, and everything in between. But the real reason riders keep coming back is the riding itself: 138 miles of National Scenic Byway, a free ferry to Ocracoke Island, and a stretch of NC coastline that's hard to find anywhere else on the East Coast. Below is everything you need to know to plan your trip to Outer Banks Bike Week 2026.

OBX Bike Week 2026 Dates & Event Info

• Outer Banks Bike Week Dates: April 18 - April 26, 2026
• Venue: Outer Banks Harley-Davidson | 8739 Caratoke Hwy, Harbinger, NC 27941
• Event Hours: Daily starting at 9:00 AM
• Admission: Free to attend (some ticketed events may apply)

The Story Behind the Outer Banks Motorcycle Rally

Outer Banks Bike Week was built from the ground up by Maurice Slaughter, the owner of Outer Banks Harley-Davidson and a name worth knowing in the motorcycle world. Slaughter made history as the first African American Harley-Davidson dealership owner in the company's history, and he turned that dealership into one of the top-performing HD stores in the country. His vision for Bike Week was simple: bring riders to the OBX and let the barrier islands do the rest.

The first annual event launched in the early 2000s, and 24 years later, what started as a Harbinger, NC bike week built around one dealership has grown into a full nine-day event stretching from Harbinger down to Manteo, with the local community, businesses, and riders all playing a part in making it work.

Where is OBX Bike Week Held?

Outer Banks Bike Week is headquartered at Outer Banks Harley-Davidson in Harbinger, NC. Organized events, bike shows, live music, and vendors are all based there, but the event runs across the full length of the Outer Banks, from Corolla in the north down to Ocracoke Island in the south.

Is Outer Banks Bike Week Free?

Outer Banks Bike Week is free to attend, and for most riders, it stays that way all week. Walking the grounds at Outer Banks Harley-Davidson, browsing the vendor marketplace with 100+ vendors, watching the bike shows and games, and taking in the daily atmosphere costs you nothing. Where fees do come into play is on specific add-ons like the Big Money Poker Run registration and any ticketed evening events at partner venues throughout the week. For the most current pricing on those, head directly to the OBX Harley-Davidson website for updates as April approaches.

What Events Happen During OBX Bike Week?

Nine days is a lot of time to fill, and Outer Banks Bike Week doesn't leave much of it empty. Guided rides depart each morning covering over 100 miles of barrier island roads, led by locals who know every stretch of the OBX worth seeing. The Big Money Poker Run sends you through 5 to 7 checkpoints across the islands, drawing a card at each stop, with the best hand taking the prize. Evenings rotate through local venues with one spot designated as the official Party Central each night. Here's the full lineup for 2026:

• Daily Guided Rides departing each morning
• Live Music throughout the week
• Bike Show
• Big Money Poker Run
• Bike Games
• Bikini Contest
• Mini Bike Races
• Demo Trucks from major manufacturers
• Vendor Marketplace (parts, gear, apparel, and accessories)
• Food and Drinks on-site

Where to Stay During OBX Bike Week

The good news about showing up in April is that you're beating the summer rush by a solid two months, which means better availability and noticeably lower rates across the board compared to what the same properties charge in July.

Vacation Rentals

The most popular option for groups, and for good reason. The OBX has a massive inventory of beach houses and coastal cottages available for weekly stays, with properties stretching from Corolla all the way down to Hatteras Village. Weekly rentals put you close to the riding no matter where you land on the islands. Book early.

Campgrounds

If you want to stay close to the southern riding routes, you have some options right along NC12:

• Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA Resort in Rodanthe, on Hatteras Island, with tent sites, cabins, and RV hookups right between the Atlantic and Pamlico Sound
• Camp Hatteras RV Resort at Milepost 40.5 on NC 12 in Rodanthe, spanning ocean to sound with 400+ full hookup sites on concrete pads
• Cape Point Campground (National Park Service), located near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton with direct beach access and tent-only sections

Staying on-site at one of the campgrounds means you're loading up and heading out directly from your site each morning. If you're going that route, our motorcycle trip packing list has everything you need to pack for a week of camping and riding.

Hotels & Motels

Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head are your best bets for a traditional hotel stay, with the largest concentration of options on the OBX and rates in April that are noticeably more reasonable than summer. A few worth knowing:

• TownePlace Suites by Marriott Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, with full kitchens and direct beach access
• John Yancey Inn, a family-owned OBX staple that's been on the Beach Road for over 60 years
• Outer Banks Motor Lodge, an oceanfront property in Kill Devil Hills right on the Beach Road with easy NC 12 access

The Best Outer Banks Motorcycle Rides

Now, if there's one question worth asking before you show up to OBX Bike Week, it's what the best rides during Outer Banks Bike Week are, because the riding is what separates this rally from most others on the East Coast. There are a few routes every rider coming through should have on their list: 

• NC Highway 12 / Outer Banks National Scenic Byway: 138 miles | Easy to Moderate. A federally designated scenic byway running from Whalebone Junction in Nags Head to Hatteras Village, with the Atlantic on one side and the Pamlico Sound on the other through the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
• Hatteras to Ocracoke via Ferry: 80 miles + 1-hour free ferry | Easy. Ride to the southern tip of Hatteras Island, load up on the free vehicle ferry to Ocracoke, and spend the day exploring one of the most unspoiled barrier islands on the East Coast.
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Loop: 20 miles | Easy. A short detour off NC 12 on Hatteras Island to the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States, standing 198 feet above the coast.
• Wright Brothers Memorial Loop: 50 miles | Easy. A half-day ride north into Kill Devil Hills covering the northern OBX stretches most riders skip, anchored by a stop at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

If the OBX has you thinking about what else is out there, we put together a full guide to the best motorcycle roads in America to keep the planning going.

Browse Motorcycle Rentals in North Carolina for OBX Bike Week

Flying into Norfolk (ORF) or Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is the easiest way to get to OBX Bike Week. From there, we have over 120 motorcycle rentals in North Carolina from local owners across the state, with Harley-Davidsons, Indians, BMWs, Ducatis, Hondas, and more to choose from. A good number of owners will deliver the bike directly to your airport or hotel, which you can filter for when you search. Browse North Carolina rentals here.

Join In On This Year’s OBX Rally Experience

Twenty-four years in and Outer Banks Bike Week keeps riders coming back to Harbinger every April. Book your stay, grab a rental, and we'll see you out there.